About IWGIAIndigenous peoples in Tanzania
Tanzania is estimated to have a total of 125 – 130 ethnic groups, falling mainly into the four categories of Bantu, Cushite, Nilo-Hamite and San.
Pastoralists and hunter-gatherers
While there may be more ethnic groups that identify themselves as indigenous peoples, four groups have been organising themselves and their struggles around the concept and movement of indigenous peoples.The four groups are the hunter-gatherer Akie and Hadzabe, and the pastoralist Barabaig and Maasai.
Population estimates put the Maasai in Tanzania at 430,000, the Datoga group to which the Barabaig belongs at 87,978, the Hadzabe at 1,000 and the Akie (Ndorobo) at 5,268.
While the livelihoods of these groups are diverse, they all share a strong attachment to the land, distinct identities, vulnerability and marginalisation. They also experience similar problems in relation to tenure insecurity, poverty and inadequate political representation.
No specific national policy on indigenous peoples in Tanzania
There is no specific national policy or legislation on indigenous peoples per se in Tanzania. On the contrary, a number of policies, strategies and programmes that do not reflect the interests of the indigenous peoples in terms of access to land and natural resources, basic social services and justice are continuously being developed, resulting in a deteriorating and increasingly hostile political environment for both pastoralists and hunter-gatherers.
Download the 2011 yearbook article on indigenous peoples in Tanzania to read more about major developments and events during 2010
